Search in:

Massive Demons toll from AFL tank probe

Sam Lienert

Melbourne president Don McLardy says the AFL tanking investigation has already had a massive impact on the Demons and the individuals involved.

The Demons board, chief executive Cameron Schwab, former football manager Chris Connolly and former coach Dean Bailey last week provided their official response to evidence gathered by the AFL.

They are now waiting to hear whether they will be hit with charges, including bringing the game into disrepute, over allegations the club tanked late in the 2009 season in order to gain early draft picks.

McLardy told members at the Demons' annual general meeting at the MCG on Wednesday night that they would continue to fight in the strongest way possible to defend their integrity.

Advertisement

But he said already the investigation, sparked by comments made by former Melbourne midfielder Brock McLean in a television interview last July, had taken a heavy toll.

"This has been an incredibly high-profile investigation and for many involved a difficult and trying time personally," McLardy said.

"The impact on our club has been massive and in many ways the damage is extremely hard to measure."

He said the board had already devoted an enormous amount of time to defending the club's actions.

McLardy said they would fiercely defend the club and the individuals involved against the allegations and also do what they could to protect the current side from any fall-out.

"We have and will continue to defend the integrity of the Melbourne Football Club in the strongest possible fashion," the Demons president said.

"For anyone to suggest that our players did not give their all every time they ran onto the field is not acceptable to us.

"We will continue to defend the rights of all our past and present club employees where we believe it is necessary to do so.

"The board is dealing with these past events.

"Wherever possible, we don't want our players, the football department or our administration to be distracted.

"They have season 2013 to prepare for and like all of you, I can't wait for that to start."